Relationships Among Some Components of Marine Aerosol Sampled at Leghorn, Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy)

Abstract

This work reports preliminary composition data of marine aerosol collected under selected meteorological conditions in Leghorn (Tyrrhenian Sea - Tuscany - Italy) with two different porosity filters (1.0 mu m and 8.0 mu m). The samples are analyzed to identify inorganic anions (Cl-, Br-, NO3-, H2PO4-, SO42-, F-), cations (Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+) and some organic anions (acetate, propionate, formate, methanesulphonate, pyruvate). Correlations between some analyzed components have been estimated to evaluate their sources (sea spray, secondary aerosol, crustal - such as Saharan dust - and anthropogenic imputs), transport processes and eventual fractionating phenomena.